Oil Pulling The Right Way For better Oral Health
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Oil pulling or oil swishing has become popular in recent years as more people seek natural ways to maintain or restore health. Many have looked to ayurveda because it is a time tested system of natural medicine which originated in India thousand of years ago.
Ayurveda covers all aspects of health including dental health and this article will cover the correct way to do oil pulling. Further articles will cover cleaning the tongue to remove toxins and massaging the entire body with cured oil as a part of regular self care. A previous article, Ancient Oil Massage for Modern People Part 1, described how to cure the oil in preparation for using it.
An important principle of ayurveda is that during sleep the body releases toxins some of which is eliminated through the mouth hence the need for special oral care in the mornings.
I have seen many articles on oil pulling and everyone of them omitted one important principle. They all omitted that the oil shpuld be cured and warm before use for maximum benefits. Cured oil goes deeper into the tissues to nourish and eliminate toxins and is more effective and cleansing even on the superficial level. Cold oils tend to have a more clogging effect on the system which should be avoided. This is a very important principle that has been overlooke and shopuld be corrected.
I will assume that you have cured the oil and has warmed it up as per the previous article and it is ready for use. The prefferred oil is cured, cold pressed sesame oil and you would have already brushed your teeth etc. prior to doing the oil pulling.
You would put about two table spoons full in a glass and put it in your mouth as if you were going to do a mouth wash. Do not swallow it. Swish it around your mouth and through your teeth for several minutes. Gargle with it to clear mucous from the throat and back of the tongue and massage the oil into your gums with your fingers.
Some persons recommend up to twenty minutes of oil pulling each time but you can start with a few minutes.
The oil witll nourish the gums and has an anti-bacterial effect. When finished spit out the oil in the toilet or down the drain umder running water or if you prefer in a basin and dispose of it in the yard. Under common circumstances the oil will not clog the drain. Then rinse the mouth with a little warm water but don’t try to wash out all the oil. The mouth should feel fresh and light.
Once a day in the morning is recommended.